How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car in 2026? Prices by Distance

Your new job starts in Denver in six weeks. The movers are booked, and your Accord is still in a driveway in Boston. Driving it 1,900 miles means three days and two hotel nights. So you ask the question thousands of people ask every month: how much does it cost to ship a car?

Here is the short version, and you can get a free quote from ABC Auto Shipping in two minutes with no deposit if you would rather skip straight to your own number. In 2026, a running sedan on an open carrier costs $600 to $2,500 to ship, and most people pay about $1,150. The rest of this guide breaks that down by distance, vehicle, season, and service type, with real route examples, so you know what a quote should look like before you ask for one.

Quick answer: A standard car costs roughly $400 to $700 to ship under 500 miles, $700 to $1,100 for 1,000 to 1,500 miles, and $1,000 to $1,700 coast to coast. Enclosed transport adds 40 to 60 percent. Trucks, SUVs, and non-running vehicles cost more. Summer and snowbird season push prices up 10 to 20 percent.

Car shipping cost per mile, by distance

The first thing to understand is that car shipping is not priced like a taxi. The per-mile rate falls as the trip gets longer, because the carrier’s fixed costs (dispatch, loading, insurance, the driver’s day) get spread across more miles. A 250-mile hop can cost more per mile than a 2,500-mile cross-country run.

Here are the typical 2026 ranges for a running sedan on an open carrier with flexible pickup dates:

Two things stand out in that table. First, the jump from a regional move to a cross-country move is smaller than most people expect. Boston to Denver and Boston to Los Angeles can be only a few hundred dollars apart, even though the second trip is 1,100 miles longer. Second, very short trips have a floor. No carrier will send a 75-foot truck across town for $150, so a 100-mile move will usually quote close to the 500-mile price.

Treat these ranges as the market, not as a quote. The price on any given lane changes week to week depending on how many trucks are heading that direction. That is why ABC quotes each move individually instead of publishing a flat rate card.

What actually changes the price

Distance sets the baseline. Six other factors move the number up or down from there.

Vehicle size and weight

A carrier earns money per spot on the trailer, and a big vehicle takes up more than one spot’s worth of length and weight. A midsize sedan is the baseline. A full-size SUV or a half-ton pickup typically adds $100 to $300. Lifted trucks, dually pickups, and anything over about 7 feet tall may need a specific truck and a specific position on it, which adds more. If you are shipping something larger than a standard pickup, say so when you request the quote so the dispatcher can match the right carrier the first time.

Open or enclosed carrier

Open transport is the nine-car hauler you see on the interstate, and it moves the large majority of vehicles in the country. Enclosed transport puts your car inside a covered trailer that holds only three to six vehicles, which is why it costs 40 to 60 percent more. On a $1,200 cross-country move, that is roughly $500 to $700 extra. For a daily driver, open is the sensible default. For a classic, an exotic, or a car you just paid $90,000 for, the premium buys weather and debris protection that most owners consider worth it.

Whether the car runs

A running car drives onto the trailer under its own power. A car that does not run has to be winched on, which takes extra time and equipment that not every truck carries. Expect $100 to $300 more for an inoperable vehicle, and tell the dispatcher up front. We cover the details in our guide to shipping a non-running car.

Time of year

Carriers are busiest from late May through September, when families relocate during the school break, and again in October and November when snowbirds send cars south to Florida and Arizona. On those lanes, in those months, prices run 10 to 20 percent above the rest of the year. The reverse is also true. A Massachusetts to Florida move that costs $1,300 in November can come in closer to $1,000 in May, when trucks are heading south half empty.

Pickup and delivery locations

Carriers price lanes, not just miles. Routes between major metro areas (Los Angeles to Dallas, New York to Miami) have trucks running every day, so the price stays competitive. A pickup in a small town 60 miles from the nearest interstate costs more because the driver has to leave the route to reach you. Street access matters too. A loaded car hauler is 75 to 80 feet long and needs room to turn, so if your street is tight, the driver will arrange to meet you at a nearby shopping center lot. That is normal and does not change your price, but a remote address usually does.

How flexible your dates are

A carrier fills a truck by stacking orders along a route. If you can give a four or five day pickup window, the dispatcher can slot your car onto the next truck heading your way. If you need pickup on one specific day, fewer trucks qualify and the price reflects that. ABC asks for a 4 to 5 day window as standard, and most customers find it costs nothing to give one.

Guaranteed dates and expedited service

Standard transport quotes are estimates. Traffic, weather, and the other stops on the route all affect timing, so no honest carrier promises a delivery date on a normal booking. If a date genuinely matters, ABC can pick the car up 1 to 4 days early and hold it at a secure terminal within 30 miles of the pickup address, then deliver on the day you need. That service adds $150 to $300 per vehicle. It is worth it for a flight you cannot miss or a closing date on a house. For most moves it is not necessary.

What it costs on popular routes

Here is what the market is charging in 2026 on some of the most requested lanes, for a running sedan on an open carrier with flexible dates. Transit times assume the industry norm of 400 to 500 miles per day of driving.

Notice how the two Florida routes differ by direction and season. In October, far more cars are heading south than north, so the southbound price rises while the northbound price softens. The same thing happens in reverse in April. If you are moving between the Northeast and the Sun Belt and have any flexibility on timing, that one decision can be worth $200 or more. ABC runs these lanes year round from offices in Irvine, California, and has city pages for most major pickup points, including New York, Boston, Orlando, and San Diego.

What a car shipping quote should include

A quote is only useful if you can compare it to another one. Before you book with anyone, make sure the quote states all of the following in writing:

• The pickup window and the estimated delivery window, with the word “estimated” where it belongs
•  The vehicle’s year, make, model, and whether it runs
•  Open or enclosed carrier, and door-to-door or terminal service
•  The total price, and a plain statement that there are no fuel surcharges or fees added later
•  The carrier’s insurance coverage and what it excludes (personal items, pre-existing damage, weather)
•  The deposit, if any, and what happens to it if you cancel

That last line is where quotes differ most. Many brokers take a deposit of $150 to $300 the moment you book and keep it if you cancel. ABC does not take a deposit. You pay only once a carrier has been assigned to your car, so you can hold a quote while you compare, and you are never out of pocket for a truck that has not been booked. We explain how that works in our post on no-deposit auto shipping.

Seven ways to pay less to ship your car

You cannot change the distance, but you can influence almost everything else.

• Choose open transport unless your car genuinely needs enclosed protection.
• Give a five day pickup window instead of a single date.
• Ship in the shoulder months (February to April, or September) rather than June, July, or November.
• Book 7 to 30 days ahead. Last-minute bookings pay for the scramble.
• Ask about discounts. ABC takes 10 percent off for seniors and disabled veterans, 8 percent for active and retired military, 7 percent for students, and up to 15 percent per car when two or more vehicles ship together.
• Keep personal items under 100 pounds. Overage is charged at $1 to $3 per pound and is not insured.
• 7. Make sure the car runs, or at least rolls, steers, and brakes, before pickup day.

Put four or five of those together and the same move can cost 25 to 35 percent less than a rush, peak-season, enclosed booking. For more on this, see our guide on how to save money on auto transport.

Is shipping cheaper than driving?

Often, yes, once you count everything. Driving Boston to Denver costs around $250 in fuel for a sedan, $300 to $400 for two or three hotel nights, $100 or more in meals, plus 1,900 miles of wear and three days of your time. Call it $700 to $800 in hard costs before you value your own hours. Shipping the same car costs $900 to $1,300 and you fly in four hours. For a one-way move, the gap is small. For a round trip, or for anyone whose time is worth money, shipping usually wins. We run the full comparison in drive or ship: the cheapest way to move a car.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

Car shipping in 2026 costs $600 to $2,500 for most moves, and the five things that decide where you land in that range are distance, vehicle size, carrier type, season, and how flexible you can be on dates. Short trips cost the most per mile, cross-country trips cost the least, and the busiest lanes in the busiest months cost 10 to 20 percent more than the same lane in the off season.

The fastest way to know your own number is to ask. Request a free quote from ABC Auto Shipping, and you will get a real price for your route, with no deposit and the full cost stated before you book. If a competitor has quoted you less for the same service, ask ABC to match it. ABC has been moving cars across the country for more than twenty years, is fully bonded and insured, and will tell you plainly if a cheaper option fits your move better. Call 877-686-5611 if you would rather talk it through with a person.